2006 QQ23

2006 QQ₂₃ is a sub-kilometre asteroid, classified as a near-Earth object of the Aten group that is potentially hazardous only as the orbit evolves over millennia. It was first observed on 21 August 2006 by the Siding Spring Survey. On 10 August 2019, the object safely passed 7.4 million kilometres (4.6 million miles) from Earth. With a 12 year observation arc it has a well determined orbit and is not a threat for the foreseeable future.

2006 QQ₂₃ was first observed on 21 August 2006 by the Siding Spring Survey, at the Siding Spring Observatory in Australia.

2006 QQ₂₃ is classified as an Aten asteroid, which means that it is a near-Earth asteroid that crosses Earth's orbit at two points and has an orbital period of less than a year. Because it will come within 0.05 au of the Earth (MOID) and has an absolute magnitude (H) brighter than 22, 2006 QQ₂₃ is labelled as a potentially hazardous object. With a 12 year observation arc it has a well determined orbit and is not a threat for the foreseeable future.

It orbits the Sun at a distance of 0.57–1.03 au in less than 9 months (263 days; semi-major axis of 0.80 au). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.28 and an inclination of 3.4° with respect to the ecliptic. The body's observation arc begins with its first observation at the Siding Spring Observatory on 21 August 2006.

On 10 August 2019 at 7:23 am UTC, 2006 QQ₂₃ safely passed 0.04977 au (7,445,000 km) from Earth; travelling at around 4.67 km/s (16,800 km/h) The asteroid was recovered on 14 July 2019, which extended the observation arc from 8 years to 12 years, and therefore it had a very small uncertainty in the 2019 approach. The uncertainty region in the close approach was ±60 km.

Based on its absolute magnitude of 20.1, 2006 QQ₂₃ is estimated to have a diameter of 250–570 metres using an assumed albedo between 0.05 (carbonaceous) and 0.26 (siliceous).

• MPEC 2009-P41 : 2006 QQ23, Minor Planet Electronic Circular
• List Of Aten Minor Planets (by designation), Minor Planet Center
• List of the Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs), Minor Planet Center
• PHA Close Approaches To The Earth, Minor Planet Center
• 2006 QQ23 at NeoDyS-2, Near Earth Objects—Dynamic Site
  • Ephemerides · Observation prediction · Orbital info · MOID · Proper elements · Observational info · Close approaches · Physical info · Orbit animation
• 2006 QQ23 at the JPL Small-Body Database
  • Close approach · Discovery · Ephemeris · Orbit viewer · Orbit parameters · Physical parameters